Wirtschaftswoche: Scrub smarter! How do you digitize SMEs?

3 min read

When SMEs clean up digitally or how Hako is rethinking production with Simplifier

A recent article in WirtschaftsWoche (“Smarter scrubbing”) makes it clear that German SMEs are in the midst of a profound transformation. Traditional processes, analog workflows and decades-old structures are increasingly being replaced by digital technologies. The example of Hako GmbH, one of the leading manufacturers of cleaning and municipal technology, is particularly impressive.

While many companies are still discussing how digitalization can succeed on the store floor, Hako has already taken the step and Simplifier plays a decisive role in this.

From paper lists to real-time data

There is no discussion about digitalization between tool trolleys and drive modules. It simply happens. Step by step. Visible. Tangible.

A few years ago, everyday life here still looked classic: Paper folders, printed instructions, Excel lists, knowledge in heads. A system that worked until someone was on vacation or a new colleague started. Then things got bumpy. Everyday life in many factories across the country.

Today, a large screen hangs on the wall. Next to it are iPads. Each station has digital work instructions. Information is centralized. Team leaders can see at the touch of a button how production is going, whether material is missing or support is needed somewhere. New employees find their way around more quickly because work steps are clearly documented and transparent.

No futuristic robot factory. No “We’ll tear everything down and start again”.
Instead, a pragmatic change: making processes visible, sharing knowledge, simplifying workflows.

Digital transparency where previously there was paper.
Real-time data where previously manual coordination was necessary.
Scalable apps where previously there were isolated solutions.

What Simplifier has actually achieved at Hako

✅ 100% real-time transparency on the store floor
✅ Employee empowerment through intuitive apps instead of Excel chaos
✅ Less shadow IT, more standardization
✅ SAP integration without expensive custom programming
✅ Digital sovereignty: Hako builds and expands applications itself

Fact: Low-code is not an experiment for SMEs, but a strategic lever for implementing digitalization quickly, securely and economically.

What WirtschaftsWoche shows and Hako confirms

SMEs and digitalization are no longer mutually exclusive. If you want to remain competitive, you need:

Speed in transformation projects
Modern IT architectures
Transparent store floor processes
In-house software expertise

This is exactly what Simplifier makes possible. Together, we bring IT power to the specialist departments, scale processes and create digital added value without months of projects or complex code landscapes.

Conclusion: Simplifier as an enabler for the transformation of SMEs

The message from Bad Oldesloe is clear. SMEs and digitalization are a perfect match. Especially when technology is introduced pragmatically and oriented towards people. It’s not about converting factories in a futuristic way. It’s about making knowledge visible, avoiding wasted time and enabling teams to help shape digital processes themselves.